Padres to explore options, including sale of team
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Alden Gonzalez
The family of the late Peter Seidler is exploring a potential sale of the San Diego Padres, the team announced Thursday.
In a statement, Padres chairman John Seidler, the franchise’s control person and Peter’s older brother, wrote the team will “undertake this process with integrity and professionalism in a way that honors Peter’s legacy and love for the Padres and lays the foundation for the franchise’s long-term success.”
Peter Seidler was part of the group that purchased the Padres in 2012, became the franchise’s largest stakeholder in 2020 and invested in the team in unprecedented fashion, outfitting the roster with star players on long-term contracts and running the payroll higher than $250 million in 2023, all with the goal of delivering the first championship to San Diego.
Seidler died that November at the age of 63.
The Padres are in the midst of the greatest run of success in franchise history, making the playoffs three times in four years and winning 90-plus games in back-to-back seasons. Petco Park, nestled in the heart of downtown San Diego, has enjoyed record-setting attendance along the way, drawing at least 3 million fans in each of the last three seasons.
But the Padres lost their local media contract early in the 2023 season, eliminating a crucial source of fixed revenue, and the franchise has scaled back its spending since Seidler’s passing. The Padres slashed payroll by about a third going into 2024, to roughly $172 million, though they went back up to about $215 million in 2025.
Those constraints, when coupled with lucrative long-term commitments to the likes of Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts and Fernando Tatis Jr., has limited the maneuverability of general manager A.J. Preller.
Lately, dissent has surfaced within Peter Seidler’s family. In January, Peter’s widow, Sheel, sued two of his brothers, Robert and Matthew, in an effort to gain control of the team, claiming that she and her three children had been “effectively ostracized” from the organization since her husband’s death. The lawsuit remains in Texas probate court.
Major League Baseball approved John Seidler as the team’s control person in February.
Now, after what was described in a news release as “months of careful consideration and consultation with trusted advisors,” John Seidler could sell the Padres.
“During the process and as we prepare for the 2026 season, the Padres will continue to focus on its players, employees, fans and community while putting every resource into winning a World Series championship,” John Seidler wrote as part of his statement. “We remain fully committed to this team, its fans, and the San Diego community.”
The team has appointed the firm BDT & MSD Partners to guide the potential sale.
Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.
O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.
Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.
With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.
Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.
Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.
Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.
Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.
With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.
He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.
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